School Days

January 21st
Ok I’m falling way behind in my blogging and I apologize but I’ve been so tired! The days here seem super long. Here is our routine;
- Wake up get dressed attempt to beautify. I wore leggings to class one day this week and received some odd looks. Clearly this is unacceptable and I have decided only to wear jeans from here on out. Also, beautifying is pretty pointless. The weather, extensive walking and exhaustion constantly work against us, or at least me! Haha
- We walk a good 25 to 30 minutes to school. This is rough especially with a big backpack. Our feet have been quite mad at us at the end of each day. (Grandma your slippers are perfect!!!) The walk itself is interesting because some streets are super narrow and you feel like when a car is coming its just going to squish you into a wall. This has yet to actually happen.
- Once at the institute (we like calling it that because it sounds like a mental institute, yes we think we’re funny) we all usually go to the “wifi” room for free internet (my current location!) There are tons of people always online and it can get quite loud because the room isn’t that big.
- We then sit through hour and a half long classes. We get a 5 minute break after 45 minutes but that isn’t long enough! Three of my classes are all taught by the same profesor and I cannot understand his English. I equate him, to any of you who have seen Father of the Bride, “Fronk.” I really hope people understand that comparison haha Plus he teaches the same lesson plan for each of the 3 classes so its equally as boring!
- At some point during the 15 minute break before classes we attempt to stuff in the sandwich Vicki packed us. So far it has always been ham and cheese. Not a favorite but man have I quit being picky. We also get an apple or an orange. Today however, there is rumor that our sandwiches are egg and ham… We’ll see how hungry I am
- After class we usually sit for a few more minutes online and then make the trek home. Once there we have learned to abide to the “siesta” law. This is what makes the days seem so long because when we wake up at 6 or 7 we still have the whole evening!
- We sometimes walk around or just hang out in one of our rooms. Yesterday we woke up and went shopping with Vicki. She was so cute showing us off to her friends and pointing different things out.
- Dinner is usually at 9:30 or 10 and consists of something small. We even had the exact same sandwich we had for lunch one night! Woohoo! Again, we don’t complain because we’re just grateful for food. Plus we can go back in our room and eat a granola bar ☺ Vicki and her family do no eat with us. In fact, I haven’t seen them sit at the table together once. Maybe there’s some secret room they eat in?
- After dinner we shower (we’ve learned to mix it up and sometimes 2 of us will go before dinner, 2 after. Or one in the morning etc so we get warm water) and then hang out together or go out but we’ve been too tired!

Hallway to classes. At the 5 minute break bell these things are packed! (We have about 55 students registered and I am in fact student #55.. typical)

This is what our classrooms look like (I stole this picture so these aren't my classmates )

Where I am sitting right this very moment! (the internet room and the "hang out" room where we all congregate in between classes. This also serves as the lunch room, skype room homework room etc.. Pretty versatile!

One of our extensive book shelves stocked full of books from 1993...

View from one of the school rooms :)

The gym that is behind us. Interesting?

I can’t believe we have been here a week it is just crazy! It somehow feels like we’ve been here for long though because we’ve learned so much in the process of adapting. Mostly just to appreciate things like a good meal, or just any meal, a dryer since at this very moment our undies are swinging in the wind outside of our kitchen window. We were already missing it when we realized we have to dry off with an already damp towel though. Or towels dry, a bit, on a drying wrack on our balcony. I suppose they will become more dry in the warmer weather? We appreciate how close school used to be! This walking is not what our boots were made for.. hah We appreciate how instant our internet used to be now that we have terrible connection even at school! We appreciate bigger lecture halls so we could at least read or text during class without being caught. We appreciate understanding people, man is that a big one for me! They all make fun of me because I just say “Oh si, si, si” to everything like all the sudden I understand but all I want to respond is yes, yes yes? Haha Such a good point. We appreciate how we could go to class in sweats and soooo much more. If nothing else, I am so glad to be having these experiences so that I can appreciate everything more when we get home but we are not remotely ready for that yet. So much more to see and do!

Random facts
- Lamb legs are EVERYWHERE. I still have yet to figure out why, and I’m not sure I want that answered
- Everyone smokes including Vicki and my Spanish teacher. Vicki enjoys a nice light when watching her soaps and Maribel, my teacher, took us on a fieldtrip the first day of class solely to “show us things” and smoke 3 cigs.. haha
- There is a green painted biking lane on the sidewalks and they’re wider than the sidewalks which is a bit annoying.
- Dogs poo on the sidewalks and no one picks it up
- When the “walking” light blinks on the streets they show a green little man running and they make this chirping noise for, I guess, blind people? Being blind in Spain would be really bad. If they managed to cross the street without being hit, or tripping in one of the ditches they would definitely step in dog poop and if they had any money they would probably be robbed. Plus they would miss all the beautiful views! So I guess I’m appreciating my sight right now too.
- Sevilla people are really nice and helpful but the stare at Americans a lot.
- When the weather is 45 degrees they consider it freezing out (how they are not freezing in their homes then I do not know) and wear large coats and bundle up. This actually might be why they look at us like we’re crazy because we only wear sweaters and scarves but it’s like early spring weather for us!
- Got hit on by a German by him asking me “Do you know karate?” I was confused so I just stared at him till he said “Cause you’re body is rockin!” … What??? We all laughed about this for a long time I believe Tricia gave him her number later in the night.. haha she also met a Spanish break dancer who told her he can dance on his head?

There is so much more but I don’t have time! I finished classes for the day and am now getting ready to get out and explore the city some more! (I shouldn’t have brought my heavy backpack but oh well!) Oh and to confirm.. I did have an egg and ham sandwich anddd… It wasn’t bad! Again, this could be because I was just hungry but whatever! We went on our first fieldtrip in my Artistic Monuments class and I loved it. It is easily going to be my favorite but I might not do well because I always fall behind looking at things far too long. How can we just speed through these beautiful places though?? Alright well more to come in the future!

Quick shout out to my roomies in Columbia, Kristen –Fizzle-Dancing White, Sweet Murry Murry Anthony and the world renowned Steph-Shakura-Maurer so great to see your beautiful faces yesterday! Sorry the Spanish boys kept screaming and dancing in the background!

Hasta luego!!